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32. Nursing & Entrepreneurship · The Shift Podcast

0:00
Welcome to fight my datak, a podcast that helps bridge, the
0:03
gap between healthcare workers and First Responders and
0:06
everything in between. I'm excited to bring you this
0:12
interview this week as I get to talk to Chow.
0:14
One of my clients who has been a nurse for seven years, but has
0:18
ventured off into entrepreneurship.
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And I think that there are so many people who are both nurses
0:23
and in health care, who think about doing something different
0:26
and pivoting and they just don't think it's possible for
0:29
themselves. They don't understand that they
0:31
can do both or they can choose to do something different.
0:34
And so, Chow talks a little bit about her journey of
0:37
Entrepreneurship and what she is doing now and, actually, how
0:40
being a Nurse has benefited her and how coaching has really got
0:43
her in the mindset to be successful in her new business
0:47
as a CEO of safe. Patient handling.
0:57
Good afternoon Chow. Thank you for joining me today.
1:00
On the podcast. I appreciate you being here
1:02
today and taking time to be on it.
1:05
You're welcome. I'm glad to be a part of this.
1:08
Okay, so let's start the way we always start is just tell
1:13
everyone whatever you want to share about yourself and kind of
1:17
where you are right now in your journey.
1:20
So I started off my nursing career as a labor and delivery
1:25
nurse and as we all know, we always think Alan d nurses, nice
1:31
and pretty and the pink bows and everything comes in a pretty
1:37
package and we have, you know, healthy mom, healthy baby and of
1:41
course, that is the goal. But I remember six months into
1:47
my role as an LED nurse And there was a lot of in the
1:52
trenches. Yes definitely.
1:56
A lot of heavy lifting on my knees on my hands mom on her
2:01
knees and hands. Lots of running.
2:05
Lots of stat C-sections. And so I'm glad I started there.
2:10
It really helped me in my critical thinking process.
2:16
And where are you now? Like, tell us about your nursing
2:19
career like how it's gone and like currently what hominids
2:22
evolved. So so after Labor and Delivery,
2:25
I decided to go into cardiac Telemetry.
2:30
I was I really like the fact that in lnd we did electronic,
2:35
fetal monitoring. And then I just essentially
2:38
transition that to cardiac monitoring of course in adults
2:42
or geriatric population and our inner Our interventions are
2:49
based on that the strip that telemonitoring, the heart
2:53
monitoring. And so I felt like I can
2:56
transition over even though it was completely different.
2:59
I really like that concept and that's what I went into cardiac
3:04
Telly and that's where I felt like.
3:05
I really grew up as a nurse. I really perfected my skills at
3:10
the bedside and my processes improving how I can not.
3:16
Do things faster but more efficiently.
3:19
And of course, always focusing on safety looking at the process
3:25
and of course, seeing the holes, where safety could be
3:29
compromised and then really working on that.
3:33
And I felt like that made me a good leader and it made me a
3:36
good preceptor. So then I transitioned into
3:40
precepting and after I did that for a while, I filled in the
3:45
role of interim, Practice coordinator or charge nurse.
3:50
And it felt like, because I've always, I've always played the
3:54
role as an indirect leader and made that transition, very easy
4:01
and because I spent so much time, improving my processes, of
4:06
course, being the charge nurse came, easy as well.
4:09
I felt like I was prepared for that and then now I'm teaching
4:13
at a local community college in the nursing Program.
4:17
I teach fundamentals and I chose to teach fundamentals, even
4:21
though my mind is always in that med-surg cardiac Telly.
4:26
My mind is there with the 4th semester students, but when I
4:29
look at nursing in general, fundamentals is where we teach
4:34
the foundation of safe practices for nurses.
4:39
And I feel like that's where I will make the greatest impact in
4:42
quality and safety in nursing practice.
4:44
Yeah. And let's talk about, Little
4:47
bit. You know, when we first met it
4:51
was you wanting to get away from the bedside and you really kind
4:54
of going out and venturing out and starting your own business.
4:57
So, talk a little bit about what got you to that decision, and a
5:01
little bit of, like, where you are in the starts of that.
5:05
So, my business focuses on Consulting Healthcare
5:10
Consulting. And it, essentially, I'm solving
5:13
a solution for an organization, especially when we're looking.
5:16
Looking at nursing practice or patient safety from a business
5:22
perspective. And so, I'm essentially helping
5:26
organizations save money by implementing a program.
5:33
I think, I essentially realized that all along in my nursing
5:37
career I've always been been a I've always contributed in a
5:43
problem-solving manner whether I was a preceptor And I was
5:47
recommending how we can. Change the priest acting program
5:53
with a training for the preceptors, or whether I was
5:58
writing a policy and procedure on my unit and and contributing
6:03
to the education, or nursing education team, or a committee.
6:08
And then essentially, moving into a role as a program
6:12
manager, for patient safety safe patient handling.
6:16
Essentially, I was always bringing My expertise and how we
6:23
can Implement that and problem-solve.
6:26
Yeah. And you know, throughout my
6:28
years of like bedside nursing that's always been an issue,
6:33
right? Like safe patient handling is
6:36
something that's so stressed, but it gets looked over so
6:39
easily. And I just remember so many
6:42
moments being in critical care where we just lacked the proper
6:46
devices to really take care of those critical patients.
6:50
Or if we had them, it was like they were broke, or we didn't
6:55
know how to properly use them. So tell tell everyone, like,
7:00
kind of what your result is of Consulting, these companies that
7:07
you're going to be able to offer them for this disk, this huge
7:11
disconnect between between their nursing staff and themselves as
7:16
the CEO of the business. Yes, and how I Approach this
7:21
issue. As I put myself in the middle,
7:23
like, if I'm educating the leaders of the organization,
7:28
what do I need to speak to? Yeah, so we need to speak to a
7:32
culture of safety and how we implementing, how we Implement
7:37
that through the organization. And I think that's so important
7:41
because we're not only looking at outcomes, like, we can tell
7:45
the nurses or the clinical Workforce.
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Hey, we need to get Patients Out.
7:50
Bet we need to walk patients. We need to turn patients like
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we're looking at all these outcomes but if we don't give
7:58
them the tools on how to achieve that outcome.
8:01
I think that's where the missing Gap is and that's for the
8:05
leadership. And the now we're looking at
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nursing or clinical Workforce. Truly incorporating.
8:12
The safe patient handling to everyone, everyone on that team.
8:18
And I care team is Responsible. Yeah, like the unit clerk they
8:22
can call and call for a sling in the whichever, you know,
8:28
department they keep their slings in laundry or s.p.d.
8:34
And then the CNA, let's say the CNA gets report from the
8:38
previous CNA, going off shift, they can talk about the
8:43
mobility. And what type of devices were,
8:45
which type of, even the size of the sling, something as simple
8:48
as that. Yeah, then they can prep for
8:51
that. And then the RN, of course,
8:53
assessing the mobility status of the patient.
8:57
And of course, the hopefully, they have a unit clerk or let's
9:01
say part of the management team the lead.
9:03
Ship team on that floor where they can round and make sure
9:07
that all the equipment are charged and ready to go for the
9:10
day or change out the batteries. Basically everyone plays a part
9:16
in safe, patient handling and then of course the nurse can
9:18
delegate. You know, please bring this
9:21
machine at this time because we will be needing to get this
9:24
fishing out of bed or we will get them up so we can start
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ambulating this patient. Yeah, and what's interesting is,
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you know, and I'm noticing more and And more, as I'm going
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through this whole process and change myself over the course of
9:38
this last year is that nurses are speaking up now and becoming
9:43
one great entrepreneurs and to realizing that because of the
9:49
nursing job that they've done for so long.
9:50
They can go out there and impact and other areas or in other
9:56
careers and still have both. And in fact, what makes them a
10:00
great entrepreneur and what makes them great in this new
10:03
area that they're focusing on is because they've been a nurse
10:07
Absolutely. And I agree because we are great
10:10
problems. First at the bedside, we are
10:15
preventing a lot of the complications secondary to being
10:20
being hospitalized for a patient and I truly feel that at our
10:27
core, we want the best outcome for our patients.
10:30
But when you think about it from a business perspective, the
10:34
healthcare leadership perspective.
10:37
Then we're saving the organization money but worked
10:40
preventing complications. Especially hospital-acquired
10:43
complications. Yeah.
10:45
And, you know, for me and I don't know how you feel about
10:48
this with your business and safe patient.
10:50
Handling is that I feel like I can now go out there and, you
10:54
know, of course, being in critical care for 12 years, I do
10:58
feel like I was a part of Saving Lives, but now being in
11:01
coaching, for people who are taking care of these patients, I
11:05
feel like personally I can go out.
11:07
There and save, even more lives. And so, how do you feel about
11:12
that for safe, patient handling and now leaving the bedside at a
11:16
bigger level for yourself and your business?
11:19
I will always continue to advocate for the nurses because
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I know how it felt to be at the bedside in the obstacles.
11:31
Me being at the bedside and thinking am I, you know,
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protecting my, my own health, my back, the longevity of my career
11:44
and of course, any time we have any type of chronic pain.
11:50
I feel like it's a huge impact on our mental health as well.
11:54
Yeah, and so I truly want the nurses.
11:57
I will always Advocate and I want all nurses to see the
12:02
importance of Considering that, you know, the longevity of my
12:07
career and chronic pain and how that affects their mental health
12:15
with their families. Yeah.
12:17
And if you could share, you know what you, when we met we.
12:22
So, we've been working together for about three months and we're
12:24
going to continue on for another three or four months.
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So just share with everyone what you wanted from coaching and
12:31
kind of when we first started and where you are now, Like what
12:35
you've learned from it? It definitely coaching has
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definitely brought Clarity in my work Clarity to continue in my
12:48
business. I thought I was trained and I've
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done previous work, and research and safe patient, handling
12:57
collecting data. And I didn't want to Niche down,
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I wanted to focus on patient. Safety, as is huge umbrella.
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But something. You know, something in me told
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me to stick with this Niche. This specialty of focus, it's
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almost like occupational. Nursing musculoskeletal
13:21
Workforce, like, almost like protecting our Workforce.
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So a little bit of a Char, little bit of employee health,
13:30
and them, little bit of bedside, a little bit of almost like,
13:33
Rehabilitation Nursing, and so something. told me to continue
13:39
in this and I felt like coaching made me It made it clear why I'm
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sticking with this and continue to Advocate and it's all, it's
13:52
essentially a movement, because when I was in nursing school,
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safe, patient handling, was not being taught.
14:00
Yeah, especially not with the use of devices to help care for
14:06
patients. So this is definitely a move by
14:08
in for me to continue in this movement.
14:10
Yeah. And how has coaching kind of
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helped you or what have you learned?
14:14
From it, over the last three months like how has it helped
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you with your business? 15 my mindset.
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I think a lot of us nurses, especially if we've practiced at
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the bedside that is so essential to our identity and it's so hard
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to let go of that and pivot our skills, our knowledge and
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applying that into an entrepreneur role.
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And so I think that coaching has truly Shifted my mindset and
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embrace entrepreneurship. Yeah.
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And we've, like really worked on busting up some beliefs, like,
14:57
some belief, that you've held for a long time.
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Would you be willing to share? What any of those are for people
15:05
who might be struggling with the same thing?
15:07
Who are thinking about leaving bedside, or doing
15:09
entrepreneurship, or doing something different than, other
15:12
than being a nurse or being in healthcare?
15:16
I think one of the hardest things that I had to overcome
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was even though I left bedside for about two years and I was
15:28
managing this program, it's almost like I Because I was
15:34
advocating for the nurses at a when I worked at this facility.
15:38
I felt like that was, that was replacing me, not being at the
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bedside that the filling that hole.
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And then because I'm stepping into entrepreneurship completely
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and not working for any kind of Health Care Organization.
15:56
Specifically that transition was hard as well because and I felt
16:02
like I'm leaving Hind. The nursing practice.
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I'm leaving behind what I worked, so hard for my BSN
16:13
degree. And then I felt like I was
16:16
leaving behind people that counted on me.
16:21
Yes, so that's that was one of the most difficult things to
16:26
embrace and then, of course, shifting my mindset into
16:30
entrepreneurship. I almost felt like it was
16:33
selfish of me dumb to make this move.
16:36
Yeah, so, how are you feeling now?
16:39
If those were like you're beginning beliefs, like how are
16:41
you feeling now about? Well being an entrepreneur ship
16:47
role. I can help so many organizations
16:50
and of course make a bigger impact working with the clinical
16:55
Workforce working with RN CNAs management team across.
17:02
You know, this is this is a position where I can work either
17:07
from home or I can work you know on site.
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So I feel like I'm going to make a bigger impact because I'll be
17:16
working with different organizations and really seeing
17:19
what they're doing and then of course, helping them Bridge.
17:23
Those gaps. Yeah, what would you say to?
17:27
Because I know that there's people out there, listening,
17:29
would you say to those people who are thinking about doing
17:33
something, on top of practicing as a nurse, or practicing in
17:37
healthcare, and shifting, and doing something different at the
17:42
same time? But who might be feeling some
17:45
reservations about it? Like you did, when we first met,
17:49
you can definitely do both. So when I saw, I still do some
17:56
bedside nursing per diem, a local registry.
18:01
And so I still serve at the bedside but then I realized my
18:06
heart is always And my mind is always in the role of safe
18:14
patient handling and Entrepreneurship and I'm just
18:18
constantly that's where my mind and my heart is and I and even
18:22
though I will I know that I will miss the bedside the interaction
18:26
with my team, the interaction with the patients.
18:30
I know that if I completely Embrace and lean into the
18:37
discomfort of Entrepreneurship, I'm going to make a greater
18:41
impact and then I don't want to look back on my life and think
18:46
that I did not go for it. Like there's something bigger,
18:50
something more that I want to achieve, yeah, but I feel so
18:55
uncomfortable and we talked about this uncomfortable, it
18:59
right, like, yes that when we set out to have a big goal for
19:05
ourselves or to make something possible, like we just it's
19:11
uncomfortable, And we've also talked about that, we're going
19:16
to be thinking about it either way.
19:18
So, we have to make a choice, like, are we going to just be
19:21
thinking about what if our whole life or we gonna just be
19:24
thinking about it and going for it?
19:26
Yes, truly trusting yourself and thinking that or shifting into
19:32
the mindset that I'm, I'm gonna, I have the critical thinking
19:36
skills, I have the knowledge to figure it out.
19:39
As I go, I don't have to have all the answers now.
19:43
There's no such thing as perfection.
19:46
And I have the have the skills and the knowledge to figure out
19:53
as I go, and I will find another way to Pivot my business.
19:56
I will find a low-hanging fruit that I'm gonna go for it.
20:01
Yes. Yeah.
20:01
I love what you always say that because you do say that a lot
20:04
like a low-hanging fruit, but tell me what you mean about that
20:07
to, to the people who are listening.
20:11
What that means to me is tackling.
20:14
What is Like right under your nose.
20:17
Yeah, yeah. Yes.
20:20
And so so when it comes to entrepreneurship, A low-hanging
20:27
fruit would be establishing all the call your warm contacts.
20:30
So I've been a nurse for a while and I understand, you know, the
20:34
different Healthcare settings. Acute versus long term versus
20:39
assisted living and of course, I understand that the application
20:44
for patient handling can be used in all settings or is important
20:48
in all settings. And so, of course, reaching out
20:50
to my warm contacts and letting them know that this is my
20:55
passion, and this is how I can help with.
20:57
This is how I can solve problems for your organization.
21:01
Yeah. And what would you say to people
21:03
who are considering doing coaching for starting
21:08
entrepreneurship? What would you say to them?
21:12
And they're like, should I do it?
21:13
Should I not like what has it done for you?
21:17
You're, you're already doing it, you're doing it at the bedside
21:22
as you encourage and support your patients, informing them
21:28
about their medications. Other taking, you're educating
21:33
the family. You're educating their, your
21:35
patient. You're rooting them on.
21:38
You are helping them problem solve and so when they go home
21:44
you know that this will be a safe discharge and that that at
21:47
least our goal is to keep our patients at home and so we're
21:51
helping them problem solve like how are you going to put your
21:55
pills like how are you going to manage your all these
21:59
medications? And you know tell me about your
22:01
medications and then helping them understand the medications
22:06
by using you know simple terminology helping them
22:10
understand their diet. You know, helping them set up an
22:15
appointment with their primary care.
22:16
You're, you're essentially Kochi, yeah, and so, and then
22:20
when you're precepting, you're essentially coaching a nurse a
22:26
student nurse. And so you're already doing it.
22:29
And what would you say to those people who are thinking about
22:32
hiring a coach, who are trying to go into maybe
22:35
entrepreneurship from nursing? What would you say to them as
22:39
far as if they're thinking about, should I hire a coach or
22:41
should I hire not hiring? Mindset coach and just go for
22:44
it. You definitely will need a
22:47
mindset coach, because it's a huge shift in Fina, bedside
22:53
nurse to an entrepreneur entrepreneurship or
22:58
entrepreneurial role and I'm continuing, you know, I'm
23:03
choosing to continue my mindset coach coaching sessions because
23:07
I truly feel that it's gonna help me Reach For What is I feel
23:14
is most difficult like a goal that I'm setting or even to set
23:18
a goal that is it feels like impossible and I'm meeting those
23:25
Stepping Stones. As I get to that, that ultimate
23:29
goal. Yeah.
23:30
And so I really, really recommend hiring a mindset and
23:36
let's talk about like your services that you provide if
23:40
there's anyone out there. I mean I know what I'm I met
23:43
you, I didn't I knew about safe patient handling, but what you
23:47
the business you are, you have and you own about Consulting to
23:51
these companies is huge. So tell me about, like, the
23:55
services that you're providing through your business to these
23:59
corporations. Yes.
24:01
So I so my goal is to have organizations who Truly feel
24:09
that this program will benefit their organization, whether they
24:12
already have parts of the program set up, or they've been
24:16
thinking about implementing this program where they implemented
24:22
it, but they are not Gathering the data that they need to
24:27
support this program and to keep it active.
24:30
A lot of the times I find that organizations will have multiple
24:35
devices in their organization. But what we can do is really
24:40
evaluate if these devices are does does it match the type of
24:47
patient care or the high-risk tasks that the nursing or
24:53
clinical Workforce is performing?
24:56
And so, the goal is to match the device to the high risk.
25:02
They call it high risk task or high risk for musculoskeletal
25:05
injuries. Yeah, great.
25:07
And if people want to find out more about what you do and the
25:10
services you provide and how do they go about contacting, you,
25:16
you can definitely reach out to me, on my LinkedIn.
25:20
Yes, right. Just go ahead and type in safe.
25:22
Patient, handling, or you can type in chore her, see hor last
25:27
name her and you should find my profile.
25:31
And then, in my profile there is a way to set up a call with me
25:34
and so we can discuss the solutions for your organization.
25:38
Okay, great. And one last question for you,
25:41
we've really worked on as entrepreneurs, you know.
25:44
We think there's so many things that we have to do to get our
25:47
business going. But what we really have coached
25:50
on is what do we have to be like, believe about ourselves.
25:53
What do we have to believe about our company?
25:55
Why are we doing it? And so what are some of the
25:58
thoughts that have really served you to think for yourself about
26:02
your business right now? Truly a shift in mindset in and
26:10
believing that what I have to offer is very its valuable, it
26:17
is a solution. It's going to help
26:21
organizations. It's going to help the clinical
26:24
Workforce and it's going to help the patients and I What I love
26:31
about safe patient handling is that it'll, it'll benefit
26:35
everyone involved in patient care.
26:38
Yeah. And that's why I continue to.
26:41
I continue in this movement of say, of practicing
26:45
implementation of safe, patient handling.
26:49
Yeah, well, I really am grateful to be a part of your journey and
26:55
really help you because your message and what you're doing is
26:59
so great. And is going to help so many
27:01
organizations not only organizations but nurses and
27:05
other staff and the patient ultimately.
27:09
And so I know that your ripple effect of Consulting with all of
27:13
these companies, is going to create something totally
27:16
different in healthcare that no one's really even thought about
27:19
before. And so, I'm grateful to be a
27:22
part of this process with you. You're welcome, you're welcome.
27:27
I mean, I'm so glad that I just like, I made that move to reach
27:34
out because I saw I remember seeing your Instagram post and
27:39
something about like your message resonated with me.
27:45
Yeah. And so I knew that it was going
27:47
to be like a perfect match. Yeah.
27:53
And I'm so excited to keep working with you and just like,
27:56
see where your business is taking off.
27:58
And just, thank you so much for being on today and sharing Being
28:02
a little bit about your story and I hope that it inspires
28:05
someone else who's listening today to do the same.
28:09
Absolutely, I think so many nurses are in the same boat
28:13
because, of course, we are natural problem, solvers, and
28:17
that because of that skill that we have, we will always be able
28:24
to find a solution. And to make that a part of if
28:31
that Ownership, if you're ready to take that road, you have an
28:36
expertise. You have, a solution that you
28:38
can offer whether that's to clients or that's to healthcare
28:44
organizations. Yeah, I love that.
28:46
Thought that we are natural problem solvers because we'd had
28:49
to be absolutely. And I think the same thing too,
28:53
like my thought is like I'm so resourceful like I can always
28:56
get what I mean. Yes, I mean I'll have the
28:59
answers but I know where to find the answers to I know where to
29:02
find the answer. Yeah.
29:03
And that's going to be so valuable.
29:05
So thank you again, for being on today, Chow.
29:07
I really appreciate it and I can't wait to continue to work
29:11
together. You're very welcome.
29:14
Okay. We'll see ya.
29:15
Bye. Bye.
29:20
If you've ever thought about how coaching can help you move into
29:22
entrepreneurship, or shifting gears and pivoting into doing
29:25
something different at the same time of your current job.
29:29
I want to offer to you that it definitely is possible and this
29:33
world needs People Like Us who are willing to have the courage
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to be able to use our skills that we have honed and our
29:41
current career to do something different to step out to Have
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Courage, that what we have to offer is because of the Great.
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Nurses or great position that we're in before and we have to
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have the courage to be able to step out of that and help other
29:56
people do the same. And so I want to offer you that
29:59
coach can really help you. Get there, can help bridge.
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The gap of the obstacles that you're facing of how to make
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that possible for yourself. And I want to just offer for you
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to book a consult with me and we can talk about how we can get
30:11
you to that next step of being able to do both in your life.
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That's all for this week and I can't wait to share at the next
30:18
interview with you next week and we will see see all you guys
30:20
then. Bye. see all you guys then.
30:20
Bye.